RE: [boost] Re: 31 character limit for filenames

From: Reid Sweatman (drunkardswalk_at_[hidden])
Date: 2004-08-16 17:26:26

> -----Original Message-----
> From: boost-bounces_at_[hidden] 
> [mailto:boost-bounces_at_[hidden]] On Behalf Of David Abrahams
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 12:55 PM
> To: boost_at_[hidden]
> Subject: [boost] Re: 31 character limit for filenames
> 
> 
> Doug Gregor <dgregor_at_[hidden]> writes:
> 
> > Okay, it's time to ask again: do we still need to enforce the 
> > 31-character limit on filenames? AFAIK, we have this for MacOS 9, 
> > only. Is that platform still significant for Boost users?
> 
> I thought there was something about ISO format CDs?

Yup.  ISO Level 2 allows a max filename of 31 characters.  ISO Level 1 only
supports 8.3.  With either, I believe there are other limits, such as 8
directory path depth and 255 total characters in the path (pretty obvious
when and why most of those limits were set).  With most burner software you
can choose to relax the last two restrictions, risking incompatibility with
a surprisingly large body of hardware and software, much of it still being
sold, but the 31-character limit is an absolute.  Can't be more precise as I
no longer have those colorful spec books; used to have them for audio work,
mainly.  Um, I believe if you use the Joliet spec for some things, you can
squeeze some more in some places, like kicking the filename above 64
characters; but there are obvious limitations on that if it has to be
platform portable.  Someone with the books can maybe pop some more info?

Reid Sweatman